A Pumpkin Proposal
by LilyGhost
Summary: In his own way, Ranger gets into the spirit of the holiday by finding a unique way to truly frighten Stephanie on Halloween. Told from Ranger's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the second Halloween story I hadn't planned on writing, but thanks to the pumpkin picture ShellSueD shared and Margaret's hope for a Rangeman party, I felt I should write this one for them. Everything familiar belongs to Janet. All mistakes are mine.**

I don't do holidays ... Halloween especially. A day that gives kids a free pass to beg complete strangers for enough sugar to induce vomiting, doesn't sound at all constructive or productive. But it _is _Stephanie's favorite holiday, so I was attempting to let the candy she'd brought into the control room today slide. I wanted her in a good mood for what I have in store for her tonight. If she wants to be truly frightened, I've found an ideal way of doing it.

"Why are you looking like that?" She asked me, tipping her head to the side to study me.

"Like what, Babe?"

"I've seen that same 'I know something you don't know' look constantly on Valerie's face growing up. You're obviously up to something."

"You wanted today to be a memorable holiday, and I'm trying to be accommodating."

"Did you do something other than give me permission for a party. If you did, do I get a hint?" She asked, coming close enough to me to kiss the skin right above the collar of my t-shirt.

"Are you trying to seduce information out of me?" I asked her, valiantly keeping my attention on our conversation instead of on what else I want her lips touching.

If I thought she was serious in her plan to use her mouth against me, I'd be dragging her up to our apartment right now. Steph is a huge flirt, but only gets serious about seduction when she has time to fully devote to it. And I knew she's heading out in a few minutes with Hal to pick up a skip.

I'd given Hal explicit instructions that she is to be within sight - and remain protected - from the time she leaves here until the minute she comes back, because if she gets hurt today of all days, he'll find himself in the ICU at St. Francis not long after I get my hands on him.

She sighed, and her warm breath gliding over my skin had me rethinking my immediate plans. I wanted nothing more than to take her back to seven and do all the things I didn't have time for this morning. Sometimes being the head of a company sucks when there are other matters I think need my personal attention.

"Even _I _couldn't get you to talk if you don't want to," she told me. "I wouldn't be opposed to trying if you're going to be here for a while."

"You're only saying that because you know Tank and I are also on our way out."

She smiled. "Maybe I am, but it gave us both something good to think about for the rest of the day."

I circled her waist with my arms. "I think it's safe to say that tonight will be one you won't soon forget."

"You say that _every _night."

"And have I ever lied?"

Her smile suddenly got bigger. "No. You haven't. Every time we get ready for bed, you say something similar ... and you haven't disappointed."

"That's my line."

"And it's been a good one, too. So ... _no _on the hints?"

"No hints."

She exhaled loudly, making a curl fly up and then land in a spot my lips really enjoy exploring.

"Okay, I can wait," she decided. "I'll have a reason to hurry up and get my guy so I can snoop around here before the party."

"You won't find anything."

"I didn't think I would, but I like to believe I can out sneak you once in a while."

"It _is _fun to see you try."

"You're embracing a less scary mood today. You must be feeling pretty good."

"You made sure that I was feeling _real _good this morning," I told her, just to see her blush.

She is extremely active when she chooses to be. And my mouth on select areas of her body makes her more than active. I make it a point to offer a lot of alternative exercise if she refuses gym time.

"So you bring out certain reactions in me ..."

"A _huge _and very _satisfied _reaction."

She snorted, but I wasn't offended.

"I'll see you at four?" I asked her.

"Yeah. Ella told me she's handling the snacks, so I'm on decoration duty. We've brainstormed on food concepts, but she's the one who'll be carrying them out. A Halloween party here is something _I'd _hoped to have, and Ella is determined to make it the perfect one."

"It is Rangeman's first."

"It is. Thanks for that. I know you aren't big on parties, but the guys should get to have a night off to eat junk food and not be responsible for the fate of the world."

"They should, but I'm more interested in making _you _happy."

"Mission accomplished. The only thing you could do to make me happier right now, is have a birthday cake appear right in front of me."

"My powers don't run towards baked goods."

"Too bad, but I'll be okay with a stress-free night with my guys."

"You know I don't like to share."

"You'll be fine. It's only for part of the night. After we say goodnight ... I'm all _yours_."

She doesn't know just how right she is.

"See you this evening," I told her.

"Stay safe," she said back.

"I will. Be careful."

"_I will_," she repeated.

After a thorough kiss or two, she was driving off in Hal's SUV and I was left to pick up my own skip and then get the two things I need for tonight.

"What the hell is this Halloween crap about?" Tank asked, after he'd hauled his ass into the passenger's side of my super cab.

"Stephanie asked if a party was okay, and I said yes."

"Why? You hate holiday shit more than I do."

While that is true, there's a reason for every decision I make, and I'm the only one who knows why a Halloween party is being allowed tonight.

"_Why _I approved her request doesn't matter. She wants you there, so your ass had better be on the floor right along with everyone else's."

"She already nailed me on that," he said, sounding unsure of how she managed to get him to attend.

I'm not surprised. She isn't shy when she wants something, and she wanted everyone who was free to show up and have a good time. They'll be getting one hell of a shock right alongside Stephanie.

It's common knowledge that Halloween is a bad day for collecting FTAs. All the fucked up addicts, dealers, and sociopaths crawl out of the gutter and woodwork to start fights, riots, and mayhem in all forms. I wasn't anticipating any problems with apprehending Schwartz, but I'm always prepared in case.

Tank, however, seemed a little thrown when we located the skip and he came at us with a pitchfork. It isn't a weapon normally seen in Trenton, but I viewed it as just a variation on what I've been threatened with in the past; baseball bats, tire irons, and 2x4's ... to name just a few. And as I've done countless times before with similar objects, when the pitchfork swung close enough to grab, I gripped the handle with my hands a foot apart from each other, and quickly used it to pin Schwartz by his neck to the brick wall.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood or I'd be using this," I told Schwartz, putting more pressure on his jugular, "to teach you a very valuable lesson."

"Which would be what?" Tank asked, still amused at Schwartz's pathetic attempt at scaring me. "How not to act like a pussy? Schwartz seems to really enjoy being one."

I tossed the pitchfork aside before I changed my mind about using it, and cuffed the skip. Getting him booked at the TPD took longer than the actual takedown. But I still had enough time to drop Tank back off at Rangeman and hit the jewelers for the ring I'd ordered weeks ago. Then from there, I'll stop at another shop I never thought I'd step into.

I spent more money than anyone should to have a single pumpkin carved, but I wanted it perfect. As my clients are all aware, you have to pay a little extra to ensure you have the best. I'd chosen only two words ..._ "Marry Me" _to be etched into a real pumpkin, since Stephanie is emphatically against the artificial kind.

I wanted no questioning phrase surrounding the words or question mark added to them. She isn't going to be given a choice. She will either agree to my proposal immediately after reading it, or an hour later when I've had a chance to convince her that marrying me has its share of benefits ... including plenty of _intimate _ones, which is what I'd start with.

I put her ring in the glove compartment, and left the pumpkin on the floor of my truck until I could find a way to incorporate it into her decorations. Everyone will know what happened tonight, but I want her initial reaction to be a private one. There will be time for celebrating after she says yes.

"How did your day go?" She asked me, when I found her in the control room kitchen.

"It went well. Yours?"

"I got Harnell and more party supplies. Hal was sweet to haul both to the car and into buildings for me."

"That's what I pay him for, Babe."

"You pay Hal because he's huge, scary when he has to be, and has more patience than either of us."

"Those are Rangeman requirements."

"Unless you need a few 'stealthy' men, then you hire not-so-huge, scary, patient men."

"Are you getting the conference room ready?" I asked her.

"Since my snooping proved useless ... yes. Ella's making sure the guys working will have food, but she promised to join me when she's done. I was just getting a snack before I head back to party central. You want to help me?"

"No, but I'll keep you company. I need to do one thing first and then I'm at your disposal."

"I like the sound of that," she said, pressing her body tight to mine, so much so that I'm glad I left the ring downstairs so she wouldn't feel it digging into her. "I'll eat my bag of chips in here and then I'll get started in the conference room."

That worked for me. I'll have a chance to get the two items I need from the garage up to the conference room. I know Stephanie, and she'll be scouring the kitchen for more chips once the first bag is empty, so I should have plenty of time to set this up.

I scrambled the cameras after I reached my truck. I beeped it unlocked, pocketed the ring, and grabbed the pumpkin out of the back. I turned it so the words wouldn't be seen in case I run into someone on the stairs. The men know not to question me, but I don't want them catching the words and ruining the surprise.

She wasn't in the room when I got back to the fifth floor, so I slipped my pumpkin in among the ones Hal had brought up for her. Hers weren't carved, but Steph had found some that had faces painted on them in various stages of fright. I took a second to unscramble the cameras, then went back to conference room and folded my fingers over the ring box as I waited for Stephanie to come in and the fireworks to begin.

I didn't have long to wait. She stepped into the room with a sugar cookie in her hand.

"You've seen Ella?" I asked her, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. She gave me a cookie and told me she'd be done shortly," she said, popping a chunk of the cookie into my mouth when she'd made it over to me.

"So you don't need me," I told her, careful not to show any disgust so she wouldn't try feeding me another bite of the overly-sweet cookie.

"I always need you, but I know you don't like doing things like this. I'll be happy with you just talking to me. Ella's already moved onto party food, so I've got to get the decorations spread out. Lester's head is in the fridge as we speak."

"I'm not asking questions."

"It's more a _picture _of Lester's head, but whoever opens the fridge won't know that."

"So if Binkie starts shrieking, I know the reason."

"Yup," she said, then sighed. "I suppose I should get the tablecloth and pumpkins on the table so Ella can put the trays of food out when she's ready."

"I can help with that if you want."

"Sure. You can hand me the pumpkins and I'll arrange them."

"Sounds good," I told her, and waited for her to spread out the black tablecloth, followed by a smaller orange one with 'scary' cut-outs so the black would show through them.

This is the only way she'd ever set a table without being in her mother's house, and I love her for that alone. She smoothed out the fabric, then stepped back from the large rectangular table, trying to decide what to grab first.

"Maybe you should start with the largest pumpkins, Babe," I said to her. "Then you can maneuver everything around - and in between - them."

She looked over at me. "You know how to decorate now?"

"No. I'm just being logical."

She blew out a sigh and then took my advice. I'm not going to ask why she hadn't carved her own pumpkins, settling for purchased ones instead. As I really thought about it, I don't think her wielding a sharp object in this building would bode well for Lester or Ramon.

I handed a few of the heavier pumpkins to her, but left mine for her to pick up on her own.

"_Shit!_" She exclaimed, three pumpkins in

"What?" I asked, coming up behind her.

This is going to be fun, but I'll have to keep my nuts out of striking range when she finally catches on.

"There must've been a mixup at the pumpkin place, because I obviously got someone else's," she told me. "Not only am I down a pumpkin now, someone's probably freaking out because their proposal is ruined."

"I'm sure they're fine."

Her eyebrows rose as she looked from the words on the pumpkin then back to me.

"_How can you say that?! _Clearly someone had an important evening planned, and the biggest part of it is currently in my hands."

"Which are the _right _ones."

"Right, what?" She asked, distracted.

I know she's already trying to figure out who she can call to get the proposal pumpkin back where it belonged.

"The right _hands_, Steph. That pumpkin is intended for _you_ ... no one else."

Her mouth fell open in disbelief, and she would've dropped the pumpkin if I hadn't taken it out of her hands.

"Run that by me again," she ordered me, after some of the color returned to her cheeks.

A ghostly white complexion is appropriate if not flattering, I thought, not taking my eyes off her face.

"You don't need me to repeat anything, You heard every word I said."

I took the ring box out of the front pocket of my cargo pants and removed the ring from it.

"This is yours if you want it," I told her, my tone calm.

"What the heck am I supposed to do with _that_?" She asked, looking at the engagement ring I was holding out to her.

"Wear it?" I said, trying to hide my grin.

She'd seriously try to hurt me if I laugh right now.

"Are you insane?" She asked me.

"Yes, but that won't keep you from marrying me."

I took her left hand in mine and slid the ring onto her finger with my right hand. As expected, it fit her perfectly. And the large round diamond sitting where two thin diamond bands met, looked beautiful on her. Or more accurately, _Stephanie _made the ring look beautiful.

"Ranger ... this diamond is too big for someone like me," she said, staring at our hands.

"We disagree then, because it's not nearly large enough for what I think you deserve."

"But it won't go with my uniform," she said, trying out a different argument.

I knew she'd have a problem with the extravagance of the ring I'd chosen, but she'll just have to get over it. The ring isn't being returned, and she won't be removing it.

"Your uniform is solid black. And you say all the time that black goes with everything."

"Well ... black cargo pants don't go with a diamond the size of a small country ... or a ring that could feed residents of one for a solid year."

That's an exaggeration, but not a big one.

"This is the engagement ring I wanted to give you, Babe, so I'd consider it a personal favor if you'd leave it on your finger."

She cut her eyes to me. "I _do _love it ... it's just I don't trust myself with a piece of jewelry that costs more than a house."

"The price tag isn't an issue."

"I know. I'm sorry I'm being such a pain about it. It _is _beautiful. Thank you."

"There are no thanks needed. I want you to know that I'm dead serious about us. This isn't some half-assed proposal like Morelli would offer."

"_Nothing _about this has to do with Joe."

"It doesn't. I just meant that I'm only waiting on you to pick a date. We can do this tomorrow or ten years from now and make either work."

"We all know you can make _anything _work, don't we?"

"Yes," I told her, bringing both of her hands to my mouth and tracing her knuckles with my tongue just to watch her gulp air.

She didn't notice Ella enter the room, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who caught her swift intake of air.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Ella said, trying not to smile.

I let Steph go, but didn't let her get too far away from me.

"You're fine, Ella," I assured her.

I could see Stephanie was debating what to do, but Ella has been with me long enough not to mince words.

"Did I just see a diamond ring on your finger?" She asked Stephanie.

"Steph?" I said.

She swallowed, took a breath, then faced Ella.

"You did," she said. "Ranger and I are officially _engaged_."

Ella has also learned to control her reactions and impulses. So instead of squealing like I know she wanted to, she rushed forward and grabbed Stephanie's hand.

"_I can't believe it!_" She told us, holding Stephanie's left hand up to the light.

"That makes two of us. I'm still shocked the Batman wants to marry me."

"Why wouldn't he? You're an amazing woman."

"No. That would be _you_, Ella, but I appreciate you saying it about me."

"Ella's is an opinion we all share," I told her.

"This is so exciting! We're going to have a Rangeman wedding."

"Eventually," Steph said to her.

"Of course. You both should get to enjoy this time before wedding plans come into play."

"Will you help me and Ranger with them?" She asked her.

"Nothing would please me more. I just came in to tell you that the food for your party is just about done, but this is ten times better than a Halloween gathering. How did he propose?"

Steph took a step away from me and gestured towards the pumpkin.

"That is so romantic," she told me, after reading the words.

I'd been shooting for memorable, or unique, but I suppose romantic is acceptable in this case. I'm sure there would have been a much longer conversation on the subject, but the festivities had apparently started early.

"_Sonuvabitch!_" I heard coming from what sounded like the control room kitchen.

I cut my eyes to Stephanie, who had a large smile on her face as she turned the proposal pumpkin around. I lifted my eyebrow at her and waited for her to explain Brown's exclamation.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I put Lester's head in the fridge ... the fridge down here," she told me, giving an annoyed Brown a finger wave when he walked in. He only stopped glaring at Stephanie to nod at Ella as she slipped past him with a secret smile on her face.

"Explain," I ordered her.

"Hector helped me alter and then laminate a photo of Lester. I put the picture in a jar big enough to fit his head in, added water tinted to look like a preserving solution, which made a decapitated Lester head that is being kept 'fresh' in the refrigerator."

"It scared the shit out of me," Brown told Steph, obviously annoyed with her.

"We heard," I told him.

"Uh, that was kind of the point of it," she reminded him. "To scare people."

"You don't have anything else up your sleeve, do you?" He asked.

I noticed that she had tucked her left hand behind her back, and I had to wonder what she's up to. Her eyes met mine briefly before she addressed him again.

"I may have another surprise or two planned."

"Shit," he said under his breath.

"Don't worry," she told him, "we're gonna have fun."

"I'd be reassured hearing that, but I've learned that _your _idea of fun is _very _different than _mine_."

I could almost see Brown replaying the last mall trip he took with her. The bastard had it coming for being a dick about not wanting to go in the first place. I had suggested to Steph that she also look for shoes while they were out, just as added incentive for him to keep his mouth shut next time. When I give an order, I expect it to be carried out quickly and quietly. That day had ended well for me. He was back to being a model employee after that, and I reaped the benefits from their mall time by getting to look at Stephanie's legs all night in the new dress and stilettos she wore when I'd taken her out to dinner after they had come back.

"You get free snacks," she told Bobby. "And you all can hang out without dodging bullets. What's not to like about that?"

"Who's shooting at us?" Woody asked, walking into the conference room.

"No one," she answered. "That's the point. This isn't a party so much as a night for us all to share the same space at the same time."

"I'm always up for a good time," Lester said to her, joining us with a bottle of water in one hand and his floating head in the other. "I would've given you a picture of a body part bigger than my head had you asked, Steph."

"I'm going to remove both parts if you don't shut your face, Santos," I told him.

"On that note," Steph said on a sigh, "everyone out. I have to get the rest of this stuff set up."

"We've got some time to kill if you need us," Brown offered.

"That's okay. I've got this. I'll let you know when it's time to come back."

"We'll be around if you change your mind," Woody told her.

"What you really mean, is that you'll stay close by in case Ella decides to hand out samples," she said to him.

"We're not stupid," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Just hungry," Brown added.

"I'll try to be quick. We have to wait until it's dark out anyway."

"Why?" Santos asked.

"Because Halloween is a _night_time holiday."

I bent my head close to her ear. "So is Valentine's Day," I whispered.

"Stop it," she told me.

"What'd he say?" Woody asked her. "Your face just turned bright red."

"Maybe Steph's changed her mind about wearing a costume," Santos joked, "and is going as a lobster tonight, and is just getting a jump on her costume."

More like she'll be attending this party as an engaged woman. Ten minutes ago, she would've sworn to have more in common with a lobster than a soon-to-be bride.

"Bye, guys," she told them, staring at the men until they filed out of the room.

"What are you planning?" I asked, when we were alone again.

"I just thought I'd have a little more fun with the guys by leaving your pumpkin on the table with the others just to see how long it takes for someone to notice it."

"You're not worried about overshadowing your party skills and Ella's food?"

"Nope. You saw how happy she was for us. She won't mind waiting until the end of the night to hear some marriage proposals of her own."

"Louis will prevent any of those."

"He can try. Okay, I seriously have to haul ass. Do you want to hang stuff or hand me stuff?"

"I don't decorate."

"Unless it comes to my finger," she said quietly.

Not quietly enough. "Are you getting used to the idea yet?" I asked.

She held out her hand in front of her, and looked at the large diamond and the small ones leading to it sparkling in the light.

"Nope," she said, after a few seconds. "I'm not used to it _at all_."

"You don't have to be right now. You're going to have decades to become very familiar with your ring ... and the one that will join it."

Her eyes popped open. "Crap. _We have to get married!_"

"That's usually how it works. Isn't that what you told Tank?"

"Yeah, but that's when it was about _Tank_. And if you remember ... he fainted right after I said it. I'm a little shaky right now, but I'm still standing. Who knew I was made of stronger stuff than he is?"

"We can have a long engagement. That isn't a problem."

"Really? Waiting wouldn't bother you?"

"No. We're together, and we'll stay together ... with one ring or three."

"Yet you still want to actually marry me ... _eventually_?" She asked, taking her eyes off her finger and shifting them to me.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why not?" I countered.

"Fair enough. You seem to like me in your space, so getting married won't really be a huge adjustment for us."

"Now you're getting it. Nothing changes except your last name if you want mine."

"How about a hyphen and your last name?"

"If you'd like to combine them, that's fine, too."

"Okay, I can do a wedding ... I think, but a small one. And only _after _we've enjoyed the hell out of our engagement."

"Sounds good. Now that we have that settled, do you want to finish getting this room done?"

"Yeah, then we can concentrate on having a private party after this one's done."

I grinned down at her. "That sounds even better."

I had to admit, she knew what she was doing. The room soon took shape, resulting in a Halloween haven that she appeared very proud of. I don't give two shits about holidays, but I approve of anything that makes her smile like that.

Her smile almost rivaled Ella's, since Ella was still basking in our engagement. Steph and I know our life will for the most part remain the same, but Ella is a hopeless romantic, and is probably mentally mapping out our wedding cake as we speak. I'll let the two of them handle that when the time comes, but tonight is all about Stephanie as far as I'm concerned. She loves Halloween and the people here, and she's outdone herself combining both.

She came over to me and slipped her arm around my waist. "You like it?"

"You definitely transformed the room, Babe."

There were glow stick-lit eyes peering at me from all directions, and she had super-sized spiders climbing the walls. I'd held her body tight as she attached glow-in-the-dark ghosts to the ceiling, then watched as she set up a few skeletons around a small table so they'd look like they were in the middle of a drinking game, even though they no longer have organs to hold their liquor. She also draped the room in glow-in-the-dark spider webs so when she turned the lights down and added a few black lights, the conference room would glow. It's clear that she's completely in her element here.

"I didn't want to completely disregard your food rules," she told me. "Thanks to Ella, we were able to come up with a few healthy snack options ... along with a couple not-so-healthy ones."

When they had started setting the food out, I could easily pick out the _good for yous _- which is what Steph calls them - versus the 'devil's food' that I call the fat and sugar-laden treats. There's crudite arranged around a non-fat sour cream dip housed inside a scooped out pumpkin, which I'm sure she thought counteracted the pumpkin pie cheesecake dip and gingerbread cookies she had sitting next to it. Ella had peeled a dozen or so oranges and tangerines, added a few spring onions for stems, creating 'pumpkins' for a quick and healthy snack, along with halved bananas affixed with two chocolate chips for the ghost's eyes. And Ella had also done chopped fruit skewers that are now sticking out of one of the smaller pumpkins.

The deviled eggs included in the spread had cut olive bodies and sliced olive legs to appear as if spiders are crawling off them. There is only one other carved pumpkin aside from mine, and that jack o' lantern is currently throwing up guacamole. _That _particular food would need someone with a strong stomach to tackle. There are also 'candy corn' pizzas, with orange and white cheeses layered over the sauce to look like the popular candy. That was clearly Stephanie's suggestion, and so was the ghost brownies created by setting ghost-shaped Peeps - which I didn't know existed until she explained what they were - on top of pans of warm brownies. My insulin spiked dangerously just from looking at them.

The watermelon carved to look like a brain could be either Ella or Stephanie's _brain_child, but no doubt the radish/olive eyeballs - which look surprisingly realistic - and black bat sugar cookies were Stephanie's idea. The chocolate covered pretzels which appeared to be staring at me were disturbing, but complemented the eerie room nicely. And the pumpkin-shaped cheese ball with whole-grain crackers kept with the theme. Thankfully, Ella included orange rinds that had been divested of their flesh and had faces carved into them, which she filled with fruit salad only.

"You did good, Babe," I told her.

"I did ... with a lot of Ella's magic. I hope the guys appreciate it."

"They will. The men look forward to anything you do for them."

"So maybe they'll forgive me for making a game out of our engagement."

"They'll be happy either way."

"Let's see if that's true," she told me, and walked out to let everyone know that junk food was now available.

The two women had also sprinkled decorations throughout the control room and its kitchen so the men stuck at the monitors wouldn't feel completely left out, but the majority of the Halloween decor was contained to the conference room. I questioned my company's training techniques when it took more than ten minutes from the moment the men walked in, to the time Tank noticed the carved pumpkin versus the painted ones.

Steph was considering putting a candle inside mine until I pointed out that the light would attract attention to something she wanted them to discover on their own.

"What the fuck?" Tank said, a puzzled frown on his face.

"What?" Santos asked, walking over to him.

Tank turned the 'Marry Me' pumpkin so the words faced everyone.

"_Holy shit!_"Brown said, louder than I thought the occasion warranted.

"Who the hell is engaged?" Vince asked the room.

"Umm, that would be me," Steph told him. "And I guess Ranger, too."

"Are you fucking with us?" Tank asked me.

"No."

"There's no trick here," she said to them, showing them her ring.

The large round diamond making up most of the ring, looked like a miniature pumpkin itself as it caught the light from the blinking pumpkin necklace she had added to her Rangeman uniform.

"Ranger asked me to marry him via the pumpkin, and I said yes," she continued.

"_Holy fucking crap!_" Santos said, again too dramatic in my opinion.

"Yup ... that was pretty much my reaction," she told him. "But I'm getting more accustomed to it. Ranger has great taste in jewelry."

"And women, Babe."

She smiled at me. "And women," she repeated.

"So you're serious about getting hitched?" Brown asked us.

"Yes," I told the men. "We'll get married whenever Stephanie feels it's time."

"Cool," Ram said, flipping up the head of a PEZ witch and eating the candy contents like a five-year-old. "A Christmas wedding."

"I didn't say a single word about a holiday anything," she told Ram. "Ranger and I are going to enjoy this time together, we're not rushing any of it."

"We're invited, aren't we?" Hal asked.

"Yeah. Everybody will be invited."

"To invite everyone at Rangeman will alter your plans for a small wedding," I pointed out.

"Fine. Our wedding will include only the people who love us. How's that?"

"Looks like we're in," Brown concluded.

"You're all in," she assured them, taking a sip of something green from a Halloween-themed mason jar. "I consider myself a RangeWoman, and I'm counting on my RangeMen being there when this wedding takes place."

"Once we decide on a date, I'll figure out a schedule so everyone can attend."

She tucked her hand in mine and leaned into my body.

"That's all I really want. _You_, everybody here as friends, and plenty of reasons to celebrate after Halloween's over."

She probably doesn't think I have it in me, but I plan on us celebrating _every day_ we have together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Everybody and everything familiar belongs to Janet. The mistakes are mine alone.**

**Chapter 2**

"You aren't serious?" I asked, all the while knowing Stephanie wasn't kidding.

"Yep ... I am. I bet this wedding decision will make my mother iron the entire neighborhood's clothes, not just my dad's."

"Is that your reasoning behind it?"

"No. I wouldn't use us purposely to torture her. It's just a bonus this time. Think about it, what better place for a Halloween wedding than a haunted inn that was once an inpatient psychiatric hospital? It's perfect ... since we're obviously crazy for getting married."

"Babe."

"You're not allowed to think I'm totally nuts until you see the place."

"I'm assuming that will be soon, since Halloween is coming up quickly."

"Yup. I have it all arranged. Tank's handling all the Rangeman stuff tomorrow so I can have your undivided attention."

I circled her waist with an arm and hauled her against me. "You have it whenever you're nearby."

"Yeah, right. You're CEO Ranger up until the second you punch out at night. Even then, you carry an electronic tie to the office."

"I am focused on business during the day, but that's due to me knowing exactly where you are inside the building ... as well as when you're not here. I get more things done now that I'm not busy worrying about you."

"Despite all the spying and spy gear wasted on me, I'm pretty lucky, aren't I?" She asked, kissing the underside of my jaw.

"Yes."

She smacked me in the stomach, yet looked more disgusted with herself than me.

"Stupid ab muscles," she said under her breath. "That didn't hurt, did it?"

"No. But for the record, I'm also lucky."

That got me a better kiss, one to my lips this time, for saying and meaning it. She left my office with a happy and satisfied smile on her face a few seconds later.

I immediately called Tank and learned that he has in fact taken over tomorrow's schedule so I'd be free for Stephanie. I had an urge to punch him repeatedly for that, but if taking a tour of a retired mental health facility got Stephanie and I married, I'd sign on the dotted line.

I have other things to do before I can call it a productive day, but I'm putting our marriage first even though we haven't said the actual 'I dos' yet. I waited until I got the call saying Steph had left the garage with Binkie to apprehend an FTA I wanted, then I tracked Ella down. With a patient stare after assuring her that Stephanie won't be upset with her, I got the name of the possible wedding site, something Steph had purposely neglected to give me.

She's clearly excited about the location, but I have doubts. I had no intention of getting married _ever_, not due to an unplanned pregnancy, and definitely not because I can't see my life without one particular woman in it. Now that I have that woman and found myself wanting to go through all the red tape to make her my wife - not just in name this time - I don't want this wedding to be something dismissed as a joke.

But from the photos I saw on their site, the refurbished/repurposed hospital/inn included a hundred acres of riverside property along with the sprawling building. And there would have been impressive gardens in bloom if this was Spring or Summer instead of Fall. Steph hadn't been interested at all in a typical June wedding, she latched onto the idea of waiting a year and getting married on the anniversary of our engagement, which coincidentally is her favorite day of the year for a number of reasons now.

The venue appeared spacious enough to hold my employees and Helen Plum's disapproval, which I'm sure will be there in abundance. A Halloween wedding alone made her traditionalist nature recoil, but to have it in a place that served as an infirmary for the insane will likely cause a stroke or symptoms of one.

I agree with Stephanie. I wouldn't pick something solely for someone's reaction, but making Helen uncomfortable enough to keep her objections internal, in a place we both like, does hold a certain appeal. And from what I've seen so far, I do approve of the place. Tomorrow's visit will determine if there's an official location for the Plum/Manoso wedding.

We left the apartment early the next morning, and I drove us to meet with the owner of the now inn. The long, tree-lined driveway with leaves the color of a good Cabernet, led to the location and Delaware river flowing along it. Flowers would have been right for some, but the red, yellow, and bright orange leaves that have stubbornly refused to fall, seemed more appropriate for us.

While the used-to-be hospital looked large online, the renovated inn is significantly bigger in person. It took only one glance at the exterior as we parked and approached the man waiting for us, for me to correctly guess that the entire outside had been painstakingly redone after it was purchased.

"Hard to believe _this_ is the place rumored to be haunted," Steph said, once introductions had been made.

"Don't let the innocent-looking facade fool you," the current owner, Amil Penbroke, told her. "I've witnessed a few _unexplained_ things myself when I came after work to check the progress on the remodel. I learned later from the only friend I'd told who didn't laugh it off or accuse me of drinking too much, that 'spirits' - as he calls them - don't appreciate it when you change what they still see as _their _space. I know from experience that they exact revenge in a number of ways."

It was small, but I did catch the shiver that ran through Stephanie's body.

"Still want to look around, Babe?"

She shot me a dirty look for thinking she'd be scared. "_Yes_. How can I fault a few ghosts for freaking out when someone makes changes to their 'living' situation. I know _I've _freaked whenever a guy has wanted me to make a few changes to my own living arrangements."

At my pointed stare she clarified that for the guy who isn't familiar with her history.

"That was before I started dating Mr. Sensitive here," she told him.

He cut his eyes to me and took note of my black tactical pants, Bates boots, and Rangeman jacket worn to cover what he knows I'm carrying. I don't appear like a man burdened with feelings. To the outside world, I am who I look like ... Stephanie's bodyguard. I come prepared no matter what, even to scout out something as benign as a wedding site. Since Stephanie and I are the two involved in this wedding, precautions _are _necessary.

"All right then," Penbroke started, "why don't I show you around. Usually we're booked up to a year in advance, but your ... _circumstances _have freed up the day or night of Halloween if you decide to have your special day here."

She glanced over at me. I just lifted my eyebrow at her, neither confirming nor denying her suspicions. She already knows that I'll give her whatever she wants or needs. And if she wants our wedding here, then all that will be left to do is pay for it.

She looked towards the river, which you can see clearly as the trees thinned out, before following our guide. Penbroke opened one of the industrial-sized front doors and gestured us inside. I was pleased to see that the downstairs rooms all opened up into each other ... security will be easier to map out with an open floor plan.

And we soon learned that we'd be able to rent the entire building if we choose to, so guests won't be confined to only one room. A library, music room - complete with fluted columns, grand piano, and working harp - ballroom, gallery, and dining room will be options to set up the food, entertainment, or for guests to just walk through.

Even though the rooms are all designed using different themes, it's clear that the house is paying homage to a much simpler era, _if _you had been fortunate to have a lot of money with nothing more pressing to do than think of ways to spend it. I don't really care where our vows take place as long as they do, but I'm not opposed to it being here.

"The ballroom would work for a reception, wouldn't it?" Steph asked me.

"If you'd like it to."

"I would. With the dining room being right off it, makes it definitely big enough to fit all the guys and the amount of food it'll take to feed them."

It should be frightening that we share a few of the same thoughts, but I find it rather amusing instead.

"I can't argue with that."

She jammed a fingernail into my sternum. "You're not just agreeing to anything I say to get out of debating more wedding crap, are you?"

"No, but I am agreeing with what you like ... within reason ... just so you can have it."

By that point, we had thoroughly explored the upstairs where we'd be getting ready before the ceremony, and her enthusiasm had steadily grown with every room we entered. I know what her answer is without having to ask, but I did anyway.

"Is this it?"

"It is," she confirmed.

I looked at the man. Over the last thirty minutes, I watched another guy bite the dust around her. _Mr. Penbroke _had become _'Amil' _halfway through the tour. He was so charmed by her, formality was no longer required.

"You heard the woman," I told him.

His smile was bigger than Stephanie's.

"I look forward to working with you."

No doubt he's also looking forward to the large deposit coming his way.

Steph and I have a date, a place now, and each other. The only thing left to do is wait for October 31st to roll around to make Halloween an official Rangeman holiday.

We had a lengthy as well as celebratory meal Halloween morning consisting of 'breakfast pies' and champagne courtesy of Ella's excitement, then we gathered everything we'd need for the day before heading just over the Jersey/Pennsylvania border. I haven't seen Stephanie since.

As I stood at the altar beside my little brother, I barely registered Mary Lou, Valerie, and my sisters ... with a string of Steph's nieces - all wearing black - coming towards us. The black gowns were Steph's idea of payback for Valerie and Mary Lou making her wear colors that were either too bright, too pink, or too hideous during her stints as maid of honor to both.

I stopped thinking altogether when it was Steph's turn to come down the aisle. She did so in a breath-robbing combination of silver and ivory skin. She told me not long after we got engaged, that she was bypassing anything white or 'puffy' when it came to her dress. And how fucking beautiful she looks walking to me in her silver gown, has my eyes and dick fully agreeing with her decision. Her arms and shoulders are completely bare, the material of the dress fit snug to the curves my hands itch to touch, and her normally out of control curls were twisted up off her neck, which gave me more than a few vampiristic ideas.

The only adornment to the strapless gown, beside the sexy woman wearing it, were two slashes of something that caught and reflected the candlelight along her breasts and waist. She couldn't have looked better unless she walked down the aisle naked. But I never would've shared that particular pleasure with anyone, and she didn't seem enthused with the suggestion when I offered it during a bout of stress she was facing when she couldn't find a dress she liked. What she did eventually track down really did turn out to be the best thing next to only her skin.

I believed she was completely satisfied with everything up until I watched her face go completely white, all the blood suddenly rushing out of it, just as I took her hand in mine. I was momentarily concerned that she'd developed cold feet at the worst possible moment, then I registered the direction she was looking in.

"_Holy shit!_" She said, then looked guiltily at the J.P. who was waiting to get this ceremony over with. "Sorry."

"What's wrong, Babe?"

"I just saw a face in the window behind you. I know Amil said that this place is haunted, but I guess I didn't really believe it ... or him."

"Did the face belong to a bald man with a scar running from his lower right eyelid to the corner of his mouth?"

Her blue eyes came away from the window and landed on me. Despite knowing and loving her for years, I still feel sucker punched whenever she looks my way.

"How the heck did you know? You've seen it, too?"

"You could say that. What you saw wasn't a ghost or a spook in the paranormal sense of the word. Who you spotted was Bowie, one of the contract workers I brought in to provide added security, since the men wanted to attend the service, not watch the grounds or keep track of who's coming and going from them."

Her hand came away from her very distracting chest and grabbed both of mine in hers.

"Okay, that makes me feel _a little _better."

"Only a little?" I asked, knowing our guests are enjoying the hold up.

"Yeah. That guy looks like he can kill somebody 436 different ways using only his mind, so that's only partially better than a confused or pissed off dead person."

A laugh slipped out before I kissed her knuckles. Strange things apparently do just happen around her. She smiled at me in return, then gave the Justice of the Peace her attention. He's probably regretting his agreement to officiate this unconventional wedding of two even more unconventional people.

"Let's do this," she said to us.

I tuned out the dearly beloved crap and instead mentally listed the order I'll be removing her clothes in. The heels that put her closer to my height will be the last to go, I decided. Having certain areas of our bodies lining up could prove helpful, as could her hips being even with my mouth if I was on my knees in front of her.

I think Steph also zoned out a little. Though I'm sure her thoughts were less graphic than mine. But maybe not, because she did tease me this morning over coffee by saying she's been secretly off sugar for the past week. And she made sure I knew it had _nothing _to do with worries about her dress not fitting. She was right in assuming I'd appreciate her sugar-deprived cravings, which in the past has been sex ... _lots _of it. I have no problem supplying her with as much of it as she can take.

When it was time for the vows, she looked at me with no tears in her eyes, just a secret smile tugging at her lips before she spoke.

"Ranger - aka Carlos - in our line of work promises are almost impossible to keep when it comes to anything long term. I can't guarantee that I'll be here for the rest of _your _life ... but I _can _promise with absolute certainty that I'll love you for the rest of mine."

I needed nothing more than that. If our wedding was somehow interrupted before we were pronounced man and wife, I wouldn't require anything other than that vow from her to believe she's mine. Despite not liking myself much for the surge of emotion she just caused, my body still ran red hot with satisfaction at _finally _having all of her; her body, her thoughts ... now her promise to love me only. I'm a bastard ... but a fucking lucky one.

When my turn came, I didn't find it as hard as I thought it'd be to share what I feel for her with others looking on.

"I'm not big on declarations ..." I started.

She snorted adorably. "No kidding."

My lips twitched. "You're interrupting a moment."

"Sorry ... go ahead," she said, her widening smile an indicator that she isn't sorry at all.

Even the Justice of the Peace I had to bribe to come to a notoriously haunted spot was quickly becoming captivated by her.

"Please continue," he said to me.

I tightened my fingers on hers. "You give so much, Babe, and ask for little in return. If you'd let me, you know I'd hand you everything you've ever wanted seconds after I hear what it is. But if I was only allowed to give you one thing in life, I'd give you the ability to see yourself through _my _eyes. Only then will you realize just how special you truly are."

Fuck. There are now tears in her eyes, and they're going to fall if I don't do something.

"Skip to the 'I dos'," I ordered the man, then turned back to Stephanie. "Do you remember your lines?"

As expected ... challenging her got her mind completely off crying.

"Of course."

In my mind, the two of us are the only ones in the building. This wedding will go, however unusual, how it should for us. Although I repeated everything how and when I should, I felt they were just words that can't adequately describe what I'd do for her.

I slid my ring on her finger and she claimed me the same way. Our rings are different, hers a diamond-caked white-gold band and mine a simple 3mm titanium ring, but there is one similarity between the two. Engraved on the inside top of both, are the diminutive letters _ILY,_ and _IK_ along the bottom of the band. On mine, the first three letters are in Stephanie's own handwriting and the IK are in mine. Hers is the opposite. The initials for "_I Love You" _ for her ring are written in my hand, and the letters for _"I Know" _are hers.

When our lips touched as husband and wife, it did feel as though the last twenty minutes were more than just a ceremony. I don't care what happens at this point. We finished what we'd set out to do ... what had been talked about for a solid year. My new goal is to make our honeymoon one that Stephanie will still be talking about for _years _to come.

"_We did it!_"She whispered, just before we did the perfunctory walk up the aisle together.

"We did. No regrets?"

"Nope ... not a one. Just a sense of relief that neither of us chickened out, and that the place wasn't completely leveled before we were able to get married."

I aborted the smile that comment produced when I spotted Santos pantomiming a hanged man. One of these days, he's going to meet a woman able to put up with his shit, and I'm going to laugh my fucking ass off watching him try to deal with it. I subtly flipped him off as we passed his seat.

As guests were being shown to the area where the reception was being held - half I know will be visiting the open bar seconds after, Steph insisted we have a few pictures taken of just the two of us outside by the fountain and river. I was worried she'd be cold, due to her dress not covering any of her arms, shoulders, or back, and I unfortunately played right into the photographer's hands by taking my tux jacket off and placing it around Steph's shoulders.

The appreciative glance she gave me for my thoughtfulness _and _the chest that's now only covered by a shirt, had me mostly able to block out the fact that someone's intruding on our private time, even if we _are _the ones paying him to. I thought it being dark by the time the ceremony ended would cut down on some of this, but I would never hire someone who lacked the proper equipment for a job. And this time that job included a camera and lens specifically for nighttime shots.

"I promise this will be quick and won't hurt a bit," Steph whispered, correctly interpreting the look I shot the photographer.

"You're making a lot of promises today, Babe. Think you'll be able to keep all of them?"

"Yeah. I only promise what I know I can deliver. And I'm sure I can love you with my body and my blood-pumper longer than a day."

I'll make sure of it, I thought, dipping my head to kiss her. _CLICK_. I turned and got a cheery thumbs up from the guy I swear Bobby had a talk with earlier, likely giving him more money if he'd agree to irritate the shit out of me throughout the night.

Steph saved the moment by clutching my face in her hands, turning me back to face her, and kissing me in a way that made the three of us happy. Once the photo was taken, I was done sharing.

"Picture time is over," I announced, and tugged Steph with me back inside.

Like I stated in my vows, she's a woman of simple tastes who doesn't want a lot, but I'm a man who demands impressive results for anything I put my money into. We both learned to compromise and pulled together a non-fussy yet still formal reception.

The only light illuminating the upper and lower floors came from stone fireplaces in almost all of the rooms, large candles placed on tables and any furniture surface not being used, crystal-adorned chandeliers hanging from the ceilings in five foot intervals, and similar looking sconces attached to the walls. When we first arrived, sunlight was still being filtered through the trees and into the antique glass window panes. Now ... the rooms are heavily shadowed, which either added an eerie glow or romantic atmosphere depending on who you ask.

The colors on the tables mirror our clothing. White roses were intermixed with bat flowers in arrangements set in large Baccarat crystal vases. The round tabletops were covered first in black then white linen tablecloths with thin silver borders. The ballroom looked more suited for a Rangeman fundraiser rather than a wedding reception, but I have no complaints. Steph's sudden exhale on seeing how everything came together after what seemed like months of planning, had me believing she didn't either.

Even the cake turned out better than I'd anticipated. The tiers were designed to resemble a winding staircase with black stair stringers and risers and white edible treads, which led to a 'spookified' replica of the Rangeman building on the top tier. A gun-holding bride and groom were standing guard in front of the haunted brick building.

Shortly after, I was questioning _one _decision I made when I was reluctantly dragged onto the floor usually meant for dancing. I preferred just holding Stephanie in my arms, using the first 'dance' as an excuse to caress or kiss the exposed portions of her body that's now in front of me.

"I can't believe I agreed to this song," I said, listening to the lyrics of the first song played.

Her face showed surprise. "Why? Weren't you the one who cockily told me that if I wanted you to be Superman, I should spend the night with you? I hope you weren't kidding, because I'm going to be spending pretty much _all _my nights with you from here on in."

"That was the goal. The Superman comment does sound vaguely familiar."

"It's more than just _vaguely_ familiar. Elephants are jealous of your memory. Anyway, it's a good song. And since it _is _Halloween, you could've been Superman if you did stuff like put a costume on."

"Yet you always refer to me as _Bat_man."

"Batman seems darker and more mysterious than other superheroes. You are _my _Batman, but you definitely have a few Superman traits, too. If you really listen to the words, you'd get how well they fit us. You _are _planning on taking me away for our honeymoon. And I was sort of stuck in my apartment - in my life - when you weren't literally dragging me out of it for a run, dinner, or because it was burning ..."

"Are we really standing in the middle of our reception debating the accuracy of song lyrics?"

"Yep. What are we supposed to be doing? Crying because we're so deliriously happy? Disgustingly declaring our undying love for each other? Deciding on baby names for our eventual 2.5 kids? I don't think so."

She has a point. We know what we are fortunate enough to have, we don't have to broadcast it more than we already have with our vows and rings.

"Back to the song ..." I told her.

She smiled in victory. "Okay ... where was I? You _have _been late for dinner or a date or two because you were busy saving somebody's day. And let's not forget how many times you've saved _me_. As for my personal life, it did feel like I was just waiting to be picked up in your arms ... so I rest my case. The song seems perfect for us even if it's not exactly a traditional wedding song. _Hey!_"

"What I got out of all that, is you wanted me to pick you up ... so I did."

"I'll have to keep that in mind ... that you have a good memory and also _selective _hearing."

"You should really just keep _kissing me _in mind."

Her face is so close to mine and I watched her red lips part in preparation for being a smart ass. So I went ahead and kissed her before she could.

Her eyes were a little glassy looking when I finally let her go.

"I could really get used to that," she said to me.

"You're going to have to, Babe, because I plan on kissing you frequently."

"Tonight or throughout our entire life?"

"Both."

"Guess it's a good thing my lipstick is long lasting."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked, eyeing her mouth with even more interest.

"Yep. If I could get my mom to stop scowling. She's a little bit of a mood-killer."

"You should be happy to have one more example of how the two of you are nothing alike."

As 'our song' was coming to an end, I had to agree with part of it, the words ... '_And she smiles. Oh ... the way she smiles'. _Few things make her happier than hearing that she managed to escape the Burg without downing the Stepford wife 'Kool-Aid' it bullies girls into drinking at a young age.

"I really love your friggin' guts, you know that?" She told me.

"Same here, Steph. The rest of your body isn't bad either."

It's a toss up whether her smile or her eyes were brighter at that moment. Hard to believe this night is due to a pumpkin with a two word order I paid someone to carve into it.

Guests started to join us on the floor, but I don't think she noticed them. I found out, though, that she _has _become more aware of her surroundings, even during an evening when she should be completely relaxed.

"Maybe _this _song will make my mom happier."

"Not going to happen," I told her. "But my parents seem to be enjoying it."

Her eyes followed mine. "Yep. But they're probably more _Cheek to Cheek _people than _By My Side _listeners. They don't appear to ever be that far apart from each other. _Something Beautiful _could describe our relationship and theirs too, I think."

"We are a demonstrative family."

"That's a word, right?"

"Yes."

"You want to demonstrate what a great kisser you are again?"

I don't need words to answer her. I put her back on her feet, but kept my arms around her waist and continued to kiss her until I was tapped on the shoulder. If I didn't have my hands full of Stephanie, I would have swung first and asked questions later. Since I knew it was Tank coming up to us, he could've withstood a punch or two before he went down.

"This better be important," I said against Steph's mouth, not looking at him.

"If you want to get out of here sometime tonight," he said to me, "you should move on from the kissing the bride portion of the evening."

As expected, his interruption wasn't necessary. Standing here kissing Stephanie until we were allowed to leave, is better than anything else that's been planned.

"Do you know what's coming up on our agenda?" Steph asked me, seeing that I have zero interest in moving away from her.

"What?"

She went up on tiptoes, whispering directly into my ear so Tank wouldn't overhear.

"You get to remove the garter I have on my thigh. And I may have 'accidentally' placed it higher than you're really supposed to. You probably already noticed how tight the skirt part of my dress is, so it's possible that your hands could get trapped there."

She just brought up something that tied kissing her ... getting my hands up her dress.

"Let's go," I told her.

Her blue eyes were definitely brighter than anything else in the room as I snagged her wrist and brought us to the appropriate location. I may have taken my time locating the blue lace garter - that I only noticed after the fact had a shadowy silhouette of Batman on it - until Woody let out an exaggerated and annoyingly loud cough. The heat I felt emanating from Steph's body had me fighting my own for control while we endured the toasting stage and forced separations as people came up to wish us well.

The toasts ranged from Tank's simple "_It's about fucking time,_" an 'I told you so-esque' speech from Mary Lou, my parents gave us a heads up that they intend to usurp the Friday nights we have free. And my men were assholes, making Stephanie laugh by creatively and delusionally implying that they would have had a shot with her if I hadn't been their boss.

Despite the numerous and thorough checks I'd run on them, I apparently hired stupid men. They should be smart enough to know that even if I wasn't their boss, I'd still have a gun on me. And I would've used it repeatedly on each and every one of them if they ever attempted to flirt seriously with her.

I would've been fine with just staying beside my wife all night, but she told me to play nice with our guests and reminded me that we'll be alone for fourteen straight days. I'm almost certain I can wait to make her my wife in the biblical sense for a couple more hours ... _if _I have a distraction. That came by way of optically stalking her and plotting ways to get her alone again.

It was another form of foreplay and Stephanie knew it, purposely flagging down men to talk to while eyeing me over their shoulders. It was a dangerous game to play, but she didn't seem concerned about the consequences of engaging in it.

After forty-five minutes of this, there was a slight lull in activity. And I took full advantage of it. I shot Ram a look when it appeared he was about to approach the woman I wanted all to myself. He stopped dead in his tracks and did an about-face, heading to the bar instead. I fought a grin. All the training and rules I've drilled into them have paid off.

The candlelight made Steph's dress gleam and her new ring glinted a warning to anyone wanting to get too friendly. I wonder if it's possible to rig a taser to the thin band. With enough incentive, Hector can probably figure out a way of having the diamonds shoot acid at potential attackers. Something to discuss later. It's possible that the bride was thinking along the same lines, because she glanced down at the ring on my finger before meeting my eyes.

"Come outside with me," I said to her.

"Is the crowd getting to you?"

"You could say that."

In actuality ... _she's_ getting to me. And now that I can smell her subtle perfume and see her flushed skin up close, the relative privacy we'd get outdoors versus the fishbowl we're currently in, seemed safer.

"It's supposed to rain," she told me.

"But it isn't right now."

"Good point."

I retrieved my jacket from our table and draped it over her shoulders again.

"We'll be by the river," I told Tank.

I gave him an abbreviated nod, which is code for keep an eye out for possible danger while also cautioning him that if he disturbs us again, his nuts will be floating in the Delaware on opposite sides of his body.

He held my stare long enough for me to know he got the message. I took Steph's hand and led her out one of the side entrances. I don't usually have time to take in scenery ... I'm too busy searching for possible ambush locations and noting every shadowy space where a Stephanie-stalker could be hiding, but I soaked up every detail of this particular night.

Due to unusual and unstable weather patterns, leaves are still on the trees as well as on the ground, and our footsteps sounded like gunshots whenever we veered off the brick-lined pathways. While the rain hasn't hit yet, it will shortly. Dark clouds are already drifting in front of a very full, very bright moon. The grounds are lit intermittently by old-fashioned style hanging lanterns that are giving off a muted yellow light, again forming an intimate yet eerie atmosphere.

With the soft rap of Steph's heels against the brick, we passed the large fountain at the front entrance of the building and made our way to the pergola where we would've had the ceremony if she hadn't predicted rain on our wedding day months ago.

We didn't speak until the path came to a stop right by the bank of the river.

"Does being a 'married couple' make you see us differently?" She asked.

"No. As soon as Morelli was out of the way, I committed myself fully to you. But being legally bound now to protect you, you're going to find me to be an even bigger pain in your ass."

"Are you only mentioning that _after _the ceremony because I can't do anything about it now?"

"Yes."

"I'd ask why I married you, but I already know."

"You love me," I stated.

"Yep."

I picked up her right hand and transferred her engagement ring from her right ring finger to her left one where it'll stay tucked against her new wedding band. I thought her hands would be cold from the short walk around the property, but when I brought her diamond-covered finger to my mouth to kiss, her hand was as hot as she is.

I wrapped an arm around her and she all but melted against my side as we took in the reflection of the partially obscured moon on the water's surface. The wind had picked up, making a whistling sound as it blew through the trees, acorns sounded like enemy fire as they were blown off trees and hit what was below them, and a falling leaf bounced off Steph's swept-up curls.

"Thank you," she said, after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"What are you thanking me for this time?"

"For not thinking this was a stupid idea ... for keeping an open mind during all our wedding discussions."

"I don't plan on doing this again," I informed her, in case she doesn't already know that divorce will never be an option for us, "so it had to be something we both could live with."

"It has been a pretty perfect night, hasn't it?"

"It only gets better from here, Babe."

That got me a smile and a decent kiss. "Yeah, you've warned me about that. So what do you say we leave early and get this matrimony thing underway?"

"You're reading my mind."

"Were you just thinking about getting me out of this dress?"

"Yes."

"Huh ... maybe me having lots of sex with you has opened your brain up to me, so I can now read yours as easily as you read mine."

"I've allowed you access to everything else, why would my mind be off limits? I've even coaxed you into opening a few things yourself."

Even in the dark night, I could see her blush in what little light we have. The damn photographer chose to capture that moment as well... me giving Steph a small grin as she fanned her face in a futile attempt to cool her hormones off. I don't want them cooling, I want them to _smolder _... barely able to be contained. So I kissed her with plenty of tongue to keep things hot ... much to her and the photog's pleasure.

"Let's go say our goodbyes," I said, when I separated our lips. "I can get us on an earlier flight if we arrive too soon for our original one."

"Sounds good."

Our fingers remained linked as we walked back inside and spoke briefly to both of our families. We were hugged by my parents and received head nods from hers. I'm glad but not at all surprised that my family saw exactly what I'd seen in Stephanie. I'm also not shocked that the Plums, with the exception of Edna and Valerie, still keep me - and Stephanie - at a distance. My opinion on the matter is that Frank and Helen aren't comfortable seeing the contrasts between our relationship as two strong-minded equals and their traditional yet one-dimensional union.

I shook hands with my men and to my annoyance, Stephanie was swallowed up in multiple embraces initiated by the guys she's grown even closer to this past year. She kept possession of my jacket as we left our wedding behind. I like to think she wanted something of mine surrounding her until it was time for me to be.

It was pitch black outside when we exited our reception, and we walked out of the immense building and straight into a makeshift tunnel created by our guests holding up lit sparklers. This isn't my usual or preferred way of leaving a location, but I can appreciate the image it presented.

There isn't a limo taking us to the airport, instead I'd arranged for alternative transportation and will be driving us there myself. Without Steph's knowledge, I'd been told that the car I wanted to leave in had been brought around to the front by Vince minutes before we headed outside. In seconds ... we'll be out of here. I opened the passenger's door and waited for Steph's long legs to be tucked safely inside. Then I walked around the hood of a brand new black Porsche Boxster GTS.

I have to admit, looking in the rearview mirror of the car that will become Steph's personal vehicle once we get back, the current scene fulfilled every little kid's haunted house fantasy. The full moon is now completely shielded by heavy cloud cover. Rumbles of thunder sounded just as threatening as the wind whipping through the wooded area, blowing a few more leaves off the trees. And sporadic lightning flashes lit up the building that was, tragically, the last thing a lot of patients ever saw.

I noticed that the little kid was alive and well in Stephanie tonight, and she was smiling wide when the storm moved closer and the rain suddenly started to pour down.

"Most brides would be swearing at a storm approaching just as guests will be leaving," I said, as I drove us back down the tree-lined drive.

"I'm not most women ... or most brides," she reminded me.

"I wouldn't be married to you if you were."

"Yeah, _weird _seems to be what you're into."

"I'm into _you_."

Her smile turned sexy. "Not yet, but you will be _getting into me _as soon as we touch down. Though I'm going to let you know right now, I want to see _everything_, not just the inside of a hotel room. I plan on eating everything I can't pronounce and then work off those calories by walking to every tourist trap there is. I'd like to stop and have a glass of wine at any vineyard we pass. And I intend to window shop at places I've only heard mentioned during red carpet interviews."

"We can do better than window shop, Babe."

Her eyes became slits. "_No_. You've done enough by footing the bill for a two week tour of Italy. You _are not _bankrupting your company because I like a certain pair of shoes."

"My company would survive even if I'd flown everyone to San Quirico d'Orcia for the wedding," I pointed out.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her eyebrows raise. "And give up the chance of potentially having a haunted wedding ... no way. Too bad the only scary things I ended up seeing were your backup guys and my mother's face when your mom hugged me."

Just to get her going again, I brought up something I only momentarily thought of offering her.

"I could've had a word with Duster, my international tracking guy, and had him look into your father's ancestry. You could have had a few long-lost family members at a wedding held in Italy. I'm sure a ghostly face in the window could hold its own against that in terms of frightening experiences."

"I'd rather take my chances with a ghost. I've got my hands full with the family I have now, I don't need to go hunting down more."

I can understand that. Helen wasn't pleased with the idea of me being her son-in-law. And she definitely didn't want to attend a wedding that was being held in an insane asylum. Which is ironic in my opinion, since Stephanie seemed to have been trying to escape a nuthouse when she opted to go away to college.

"Besides," she said after a minute, "I'm finally going to have you all to myself, far away from everyone we know and any potential business problems. I wouldn't want anybody, no matter how friendly or how related, intruding on it."

"That was my thinking when I purchased the tickets for our honeymoon."

Her smile made more than one part of my anatomy tighten in response. "So ... my new BatHubby, how long will it be before we can get started on exploring Italy and each other?"

"Depends on your feelings about plane sex, Babe. But we're looking at almost half a day in the air if that answers your question."

I didn't glance at the clock on the dash to see when exactly that'd be. I had no thoughts other than how my wife will look spread out naked under me. Her curls will be lying tangled on the pillow, and those legs toned to perfection, will wrap first around my head, then my hips ... not only under a Tuscan sun, but beneath a moon in Rome, Venice, and Milan, among other memory-making places.

**A/N: The songs I was listening to while writing this were "Waiting For Superman" by Daughtry, "By My Side" by Ben Harper, and "Something Beautiful" from NeedToBreathe. I thought two quotes I've seen could be perfect for Ranger and Stephanie, but they were too sappy for anything other than wedding vows ... so I added to - and subtracted from - them to create the vows for this wedding. The ceremony site is loosely based on Pen Ryn Mansion in Pennsylvania. **


End file.
